Method and apparatus for separating gravel, and the like



Jan. 25, 1938. A. M. LocKETT ET AL 2,106,532

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING .GRAVL, AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 20, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J f1 f 7 M ET ff 1 I g MmeRL-comey r A I l 4 1 l Jan. 25, 1938. A. M. LocKETr Er A1. l 2,106,532

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SPARATING GRAVL, AND TiE LIKEv Filed Nov. 2o, 193s zAsneets-sneevz Patented-Jan. 25, -1938 ine caAvm.,

2,106,532 Mrz'rnon AND APPARATUS Foa PATENT SEPARAT- 4'riem LIKE Andrew M. Lockctt, New Orleans, and Herman Holloway, Amite, La. Application November-20, 1933, Serial No. 698,894

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved method of andv apparatus for operating on a moving liquid mass laden with materials of different specic gravities to separate the heavier materials in lsuch liquid mass from the lighter materials therein.

' The invention embraces a novel method and mechanism for carrying out theA same, adapted to receive theoutput from a pump discharge pipe l0 or other suitable pressure source, and without other operating means than the velocity' of. the `iiui-d mass delivered from such pipe to effectively segregate the heavier from the lighter materials. 15 More specifically, the invention embodies a method and apparatus adapted to carry out such segregation under varying conditions as to the character of the liguid mass operated on and as to its velocity of delivery.

Inits aspect as a method, the invention consists, primarily, in impressing a rotary movement in a horizontal plane upon a moving mass of material-laden liquid, such as to create a whirling vortex thereof, this results in forcing 2;, all of the materials suspended in 'the water or dragged along the bottom of the entering pipe to be disposed radially inward toward the surface of the vortex, whence the heavier materials not L actually suspended will be directed downward 30 by gravity, and pass out o'f the relatively re.

stricted central discharge openings.

The lighter components of the mass, e. g., the

trash, debris, and also the mud laden Water, .are

located at the radially inward portion by the ac- 35 tion of the whirling vortex, and the velocity of. the incoming liquid which creates such whirling Vortex is so adjusted that the radially inward' limits of such whirling vortex are radially outward from register with the lower central dis- 40 charge for the gravel. Hence, such debris and water are forced to follow another outlet, which is upward and out from the top of therworking chamber.

Since the whirling vortex is caused by the v- 4.-, locity of the iiuidmass entering tangentially anl ter-with the central bottm discharge, Vwhich would'permit the debris and water to be discharged downward with the gravel.-

While having other and more Vgeneral elds of usefulness, the invention is well adapted and designed for separating gravel from ithe liquid discharge of a gravel pump, or the. like, and cleaning the same of foreign substances and trash, such as leaves, twigs, bark, sand, silt, and the like.

While the invention will be herein described more particularly with reference to such use, suchreference `lis intended to illustrate and typify numerous ses in which the invention is of value andimportance, involving selectiveseparation of materials of different speciflcgravities, such as the separation of clay and sand from phosphate and in ore and coal washing.

'Ihe foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be bettter understood from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the distinctive features of novelty will be thereafter pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, in lwhich similar' reference characters indicate the same parts in the several gures,

Figure 1 is an elevation of an apparatus ilf lustrating the invention, the working'chamber and control valve being brokenaway in section;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a vertical section on lineIII-III of Figure 1, with the working chamber shown in elevation;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on a smaller scale showing the working chamber of a modified form of. the invention;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are sectional views of a working chamber similar to that of Figure 4 and illustrating different aspects Vof the method in `volved in our'invention;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the working chamber of Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a small vscale sectional view of a form of working chamber similar to that of Figure 1, and further illustrating the novel method; and,

Figure 10 is a ber of Figure 9.

I indicates the discharge pipe from a'gravel pipe, this typlfying any suitable source of supplan view of the working champly under pressure eof the liquid mass to be treated. Since it is of importance that the material be introduced into the workng chamber at the correct velocity, a nozzle of Venturi formation il velocity of flow to approximately the correct rate, and adjacent the-connection to the working chamber-C a throttle valve l2 is provided, which may be adjusted to vary the enteringevelocity as tions., As shown, the valve comprises a rubber sleeve I2* having a passage normally coinciding with l0 the pipeL bore butfcapable lof being pressed inward, as shown by dotted lines, to reduce the' three-way valve 'II.

The supply pipe and its valve I2 are connected to a tangential extension I4* of a casing I 4, which is located at the base of the working chamber C and constitutes a part thereof. The casing I4 may be ,approximately semi-circular in cross section, with a flange I4b at its inner lower portion, to which may be secured a conical bottom'L I5 leading to a central discharge opening Il for the` gravel.

This bottom and discharge passage may be provided with renewable linerplates I5", made of rubber, alloy, steel, or other wear resisting material, and adapted -to be replaced when worn out in use.

The casing I4 bearing the working chamber C' may be mounted upon a suitable framework support I-'I.

I8 indicates a conical spreader forspreading and deectingthe separated and cleaned gravel delivered from the opening I6, being, for this purpose, secured in spaced relation below said opening by rods I8. Y'I'he spreader I8 also provides a bearing for the lower end of a pipe or rod I9, which extends centrally through the working chamber C. This rodhas'xed thereto a plug 20 constituting-a throttling valve for the `discharge opening I 6 and adjustable with reference thereto. For this purpose, the upper end portion of the rod I9 is threaded, as indicated at |95, and has fitted thereon an adjusting nut 2l with projecting arms 2 I to facilitate turning thereof. The nut 2| has bearing on bars 22 resting on the`top of the workkeep the whirling vortex ofimaterial under as close control as would otherwise be the case, since it aids in preventing the downward escape 'of the trashand debris, even if the inner limit of the vortex should to some degree recede inward into register with the discharge passage I6.

The casing I4 has ilxed to the top thereof a cylindrical housing 23, which constitutes therewith the working chamber C of the apparatus, and has at its top an enlarged portion 24 from which leads a relatively large peripheral discharge pipe 25.

A baille box 26 may be provided in the'bottom of this discharge pipe 25 with a ilat screen 21 iltted therein, this construction serving to reduce the velocity of the water and also to separate the trash and debris from the water and fine gravel which may thus be returned to the sump over which the apparatus is erected.

In a broader aspect of the invention, however, as will appear, neither the enlarged top 24 nor the baille box 26 are essentials, and any desired disposition may be made of the debris and 4mud laden lwater after leaving the upper portion 23 of' the working chamber C.

is incorporated in the supply pipe to reduce the d tering the casing I4 tangentially and under considerable pressure from the gravel pump is impressed by the casing I4 with a rotary motionconstituting a whirling vortex in which the' heavier component, l. e., the gravel is dragged along on the annular and senil-circular in cross-section surface of the Vcasing I4 `and the debris and water occupy the radially inner portion, as indicated in Figure l.`

1 The gravel thence descends by i gravity and passes out of the bottom discharge orifice I., while the debris and water, being spread upward In useft'he gravel and debris laden `water enas well as outwardly by the whirling movement,

ilnds egress through the top of the housing and the peripheral discharge pipe 25. vThe water and fine g'ravel being dropped through the baille box 26 and screen 21, the debris isA discharged through an extension of the pipe 25.

For the described and proper operation, it is essential that the whirling movement of the vortex benot violent enough to prevent the gravel to 'settle and discharge by gravity, and, at the same time, such movement must be strong enough' to keep the inner limit of the vortex, indicated at r,

outside of a line of register with the bottom discharge I6. 'I'he necessary and correct regulation of the velocity of the discharge from the venturi I I is obtained by adjustment of the valve I2, which permits the force of the vortex movement, to bel -controlled with sufllcient exactitude to con-d form to the dotted lines, indicated in Figure 1, vfor the desired end.

By adjustment of the plug 20, the discharge II lmay be opened to lan extent so that, while permitting the gravel to discharge, very little water is allowed to escape with it. Also, as stated, the use of this plug 20 makes it unnecessary to regulate the vortex so closely, since it is located as a bar to the downward movement of debris at the locality of the innerlimit of the vortex.

As illustrative of the broader aspects of the invention,1 as shown in Figures 4 to 8, forms wherein the bottom |50 of the working chamber is ilat instead of conical with a central discharge openingzl" in these forms also there is no enlarged top of the working'chamber, but the cylindrical body 239 extends upward a suitable distance with a discharge passage 250. at its top for discharging the debris and water.

plug 20. The dot and dash lines in this figure indicate the action of the plug preventing downward discharge of the debris. In Figure 5, the dot and dash line x', and, in Figure 6,-.the similar line 3:2 indicate the inner limit of the whirl under different conditions.

Figure '7 the similar dine z3 indicates a condition where the velocity through the venturi II has not been properly regulated and the whirling vortex is not maintained with sufllcient force to In Figure .4 is shown the plug 200 similar to and similarly mounted as the prevent downward discharge of the.debris alon with the gravel.

` Figures 9 and l0 vshow a formv similar to that of Figure 1, but in these and other respects the' 1. 'Ihe method of separating gravel from trash of lesser density than said gravel, consisting in delivering a mixture of water, gravel and trash tangentially into the lower outer portion of a substantially cylindrical body of confined water under an impetus sufficient to engender in the combined mass of said mixture and body of confined water centrifugal action to develop a vortex having an unobstructed cavity ofv inverted frustro-conical shape within said vortex and having upper and lower circular passages in direct communication with the exterior of said vortex, and continuously elevating and withdrawing by said centrifugal action the annular rotating -mixture oi' water and separated trash collected adiacent to and surrounding said upper circular passage, and simultaneously washing the gravel by agitating and frictionally engaging the gravel and water precipitated and rotating in the annular section of said vortex below the point of tangential delivery of said mixture of water, gravel and trash,

and uninterruptedly gravitating the washed.

gravel continuously collecting, and rotating with decreasing linear velocity within the lowest annular section of said vortex freely through the lower circular passage of said unobstructed cavity.

2. The method of separating gravel from trash of lesser density than said gravel, consisting in delivering a mixture of water, gravel and trash in a horizontal plane and tangentially into the lower outer portion of a substantially cylindrical body of conned water under an impetus sufilcient to engender in the combined mass of said mixture and body of confined water centrifugal action to develop a horizontally whirling vortex having an unobstructed cavity of inverted frustro-conical shape within said vortex and having upper and lower circular passages in direct communication with the exterior of said vortex, and continuously elevating and withdrawing by said centrifugal action the annular rotating mixture of water and separated trash collected adjacent yto and surrounding said upper circular passage, and

f' simultaneously washing the gravel by agitating and frictionally engaging the gravel and water precipitated and rotating in the annular section of said vortex below the point of tangential delivery of said mixture of water, gravel and trash, and uninterruptedly gravitating the washed gravel continuously collecting, and rotating with decreasing lineal velocity within the lowest annular section of said vortex freely through the lower circular passage of said unobstructed cavity.

3. An apparatus for separating gravel from trash of lesser density than said gravel, comprising a vertical cylindrical receptacle having a central bottom gravel discharge opening, an upper trash discharge opening at the periphery of said receptacle, a casing of uniform semi-circular crosssectional area protruding from, encircling and having its interior in circumferential communicircular passages in direct communication with the exterior of said vortex and maintain the lower inlet limit of the vortex outside oi' the line of register with and free of said bottom gravel opencasing and move downwardly by action of gravity through the lowest annular section of ,said whirling vortex and freely discharged in turn through said lower cavity passage and said central bottom lgravel discharge opening, and said water and trash being centrifugally elevated and removed through said upper discharge opening.r

4. An apparatus for separating gravel from trash of lesser density than said gravel, comcommunication with theinterior of said recepi tacle and provided with a tangentially disposed inlet for a mixture of water and said gravel and trash and interposed in a khorizontal plane between said central bottom gravel discharge opening and upper trash discharge opening and normal to the axis of said cylinder, said receptacle provided with an inverted conical bottom section extending and converging from said casing to said bottom gravel discharge opening, and means for controlling the velocity of said mixture entering said inlet, whereby to engender into the mass of said mixture within the receptacle a whirling vortex of such disposition, velocity and contour as to form therein an unobstructed cavity of inverted frustro-conical shape having upper and lower circular passages in direct communication with the exterior of saidvortex and mainof the line of register with and free of said bottom gravel opening and the upper inner limit of said vortex and upper end of said. cavity at the upper trash discharge opening, thereby permitting said gravel to be separated in unstable equilibrium, simultaneouslyv horizontally rotated and frictionally agitated within and against the inner walls of said casing and move downwardly with a rotating and decreasing lineal velocity on said conical bottom section by action of gravity through the' lowest annular section of said whirling vortex and freely discharged in turn through said lower cavity passage and said central bottom gravel discharge opening, and said water and trash being centrifugally elevated and removed through said upper discharge opening.

5. An apparatus for separating gravel from trash of lesser density than said gravel, comprising a vertical cylindrical receptacle having a central bottom gravel discharge opening at the periphery of said receptacle, an upper trash discharge opening, a casing of uniform cross-sectional area protruding from, encircling and having its interior in circumferential communication with the interior of said receptacle and provided with a tangentially disposed inlet for a mixture of water and said gravel and trash and interposed in a horizontal plane between said central bottom gravel discharge opening and upperA trash discharge opening and normal to the axis of said cylinder, said receptacle provided with an inverted frustro-conical bottom section -extending tain the lower inner limit of the vortex outside tated within and against the inner walls of said k and converging from said casing to said bottom gravel discharge opening, and means for controlling the velocity of said mixture entering said inlet, whereby to engender into the mass of said mixture within the receptacle a whirling vortex of such disposition, velocity and contour as to form therein an unobstructedl cavity of inverted frustro-conical shape having upper and lower circular passages in direct communication with the exterior of said vortex and maintain the lower inner limit of the vortex outside of the line oi' register with and free of said bottom gravel opening and the upper inner limit of said vortex or upper end of said cavity at the upper trash discharge opening, thereby permitting the gravel to be separated in unstable equilibrium, simultaneously horizontally rotated and frictionally agicasing and move downwardly with a rotary and decreasing lineal velocity on said Irustro-conical bottom section by action of gravity through the lowest annular section of said whirling vortex and freely discharged in turn through said lower cavity passage and said central bottom lgravel discharge opening, and said water and trash being centrifugally elevated and removed through said upper discharge opening.

6. An apparatus for separating gravel from trash of lesser density than said gravel, comprising a` vertical cylindrical receptacle having a central bottom gravel discharge opening, an upper trash discharge opening, a casing of semi-circular and uniform cross-sectional area protruding from the vertical side, encircling -and having its interior in circumferential communication with the. interior of said receptacle and provided with a.Y

tangentially disposed inlet for a mixture of water and said gravel and trash and interposed in a horizontal plane between said central bottom gravel discharge opening end upper trash discharge opening 'and normal to the axis of said cylinder, said receptacle provided with an inverted conical bottom section extending and converging from said casing to said bottom gravel discharge opening, and means for controlling the velocity of said mixture entering said inlet, whereby to engender into the mass of said mixture within the receptacle a whirling vortex of such disposition, velocity and contour as to form therein an vunobstructed cavity of inverted frustroconical shape having upper and lower circular passages in direct communication with the exterior of said vortex and maintain the lower inner limit of the vortex outside of the line of register with and free of said bottom gravel opening and the upper inner limit oi.' said vortex or upper end of said cavity at the upper trash discharge opening, thereby permitting said gravel to be separated in unstable equilibrium, simultaneously horizontally rotated .and frictionally agitated within and against the inner walls of said casing and move downwardly with a rotary and decreasing lineal velocity on said conical bottom section by action of gravity through the lower annular section of said whirling vortex and' discharged in turn through said lower cavity passage and said central bottom gravel discharge opening, and said water and trash being centrifugally elevated and removed through said upper discharge opening.

ANDREW M. LOCKE'I'I. HERMAN H. HOLLOWAY. 

